Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
  • B60K6/00—Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00
  • B60K6/20—Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs
  • B60K6/22—Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs characterised by apparatus, components or means specially adapted for HEVs
  • B60K6/36—Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs characterised by apparatus, components or means specially adapted for HEVs characterised by the transmission gearings
  • B60K6/365—Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs characterised by apparatus, components or means specially adapted for HEVs characterised by the transmission gearings with the gears having orbital motion
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
  • B60K6/00—Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00
  • B60K6/20—Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs
  • B60K6/42—Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs characterised by the architecture of the hybrid electric vehicle
  • B60K6/44—Series-parallel type
  • B60K6/445—Differential gearing distribution type
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W10/00—Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function
  • B60W10/04—Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function including control of propulsion units
  • B60W10/06—Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function including control of propulsion units including control of combustion engines
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
  • F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
  • F02D17/00—Controlling engines by cutting out individual cylinders; Rendering engines inoperative or idling
  • F02D17/02—Cutting-out
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
  • F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
  • F02D29/00—Controlling engines, such controlling being peculiar to the devices driven thereby, the devices being other than parts or accessories essential to engine operation, e.g. controlling of engines by signals external thereto
  • F02D29/06—Controlling engines, such controlling being peculiar to the devices driven thereby, the devices being other than parts or accessories essential to engine operation, e.g. controlling of engines by signals external thereto peculiar to engines driving electric generators
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
  • F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
  • F02D41/00—Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents
  • F02D41/008—Controlling each cylinder individually
  • F02D41/0087—Selective cylinder activation, i.e. partial cylinder operation
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
  • F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
  • F02D41/00—Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents
  • F02D41/02—Circuit arrangements for generating control signals
  • F02D41/14—Introducing closed-loop corrections
  • F02D41/1497—With detection of the mechanical response of the engine
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
  • F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
  • F02D41/00—Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents
  • F02D41/24—Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents characterised by the use of digital means
  • F02D41/2406—Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents characterised by the use of digital means using essentially read only memories
  • F02D41/2425—Particular ways of programming the data
  • F02D41/2429—Methods of calibrating or learning
  • F02D41/2451—Methods of calibrating or learning characterised by what is learned or calibrated
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
  • B60W2555/00—Input parameters relating to exterior conditions, not covered by groups B60W2552/00, B60W2554/00
  • B60W2555/20—Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
  • F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
  • F02D2250/00—Engine control related to specific problems or objectives
  • F02D2250/18—Control of the engine output torque
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
  • F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
  • F02D2250/00—Engine control related to specific problems or objectives
  • F02D2250/18—Control of the engine output torque
  • F02D2250/21—Control of the engine output torque during a transition between engine operation modes or states
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
  • F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
  • F02D2250/00—Engine control related to specific problems or objectives
  • F02D2250/18—Control of the engine output torque
  • F02D2250/24—Control of the engine output torque by using an external load, e.g. a generator
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
  • Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
  • Y02T10/60—Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect
  • Y02T10/62—Hybrid vehicles

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a control system for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, and more specifically, to a system for controlling the number of working (active) cylinders in a multi-cylinder engine and its operation.
• a multi-cylinder engine has higher energy efficiency (the ratio of outputted mechanical energy to inputted fuel energy) when a load per cylinder is high.
• some of cylinders e.g. a half number of cylinders, in an engine are selectively rendered inactive and a load per working cylinder is increased when the total load on the engine is low.
• This operation of a multi-cylinder engine while reducing the number of active cylinders is often called “cylinder reducing operation" or "partial operation”.
• a positive or negative surge of torque or power outputted from an engine occurs due to the variation of the mass of motion of an engine before and after the switching of the operation modes and the retardation of response of intake air flow amount variation.
• Such an output torque or power surge would cause a mechanical shock or impact on a driving system around an engine and a vehicle body, deteriorating the stability of the driving system and the drivability and driving stability of a vehicle.
• JP 5-332172, 6-193478 and 10-103097 disclose that ignition timing and throttle opening are varied for suppressing torque variation upon the switching of the operation mode.
• JP 5-272367 and 7-180575 each show that a map of engine revolution speed and an intake air pressure for determining an operation mode to be executed is modified depending upon a gear ratio of a transmission.
• JP 11-182275 and 11-350995 disclose a hybrid engine and dynamotor system where toque difference outputted from the engine before and after the changing of the number of active cylinders is cancelled through the operation of dynamotors. Since the cylinder reducing operation control is employed mainly for increasing fuel efficiency of an engine, the engine should be operated in the reduced cylinder mode as long as torque or power requested of the engine, e.g. for driving a vehicle, can be generated by a reduced number of working cylinders.
• the operation mode should be switched when the output power of an engine is at the maximum level available in the reduced cylinder mode. Then, each working cylinder will be operated at high load even when a total engine load is low.
• Actual output torque or power from an engine depends upon not only an intake air amount or throttle opening but also an engine temperature, environmental conditions of the engine, such as atmospheric pressure. It is difficult or cumbersome to estimate engine output torque/power precisely from an intake air amount, etc.
• the operation mode at a certain condition is determined based upon only parameters such as throttle opening used so far, the switching of the operation mode will not always be executed at an ideal condition for providing output power requested in operating the engine while saving fuel.
• a novel control device of cylinder reducing operation for a multi-cylinder engine controlling an operation mode of the engine more appropriately for fuel economy while ensuring the operational stability of the engine and comfortable drivability of a vehicle.
• the inventive control device for cylinder reducing operation selectively inactivating some cylinders of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine comprises a detector detecting engine output torque and judges if cylinder reducing operation is to be executed while referring to the engine output torque detected with the detector.
• engine output torque or power varies with a plurality of parameters of external and internal conditions of the engine.
• the judgment of an operation mode between full cylinder and reduced cylinder operations based upon a map employing an intake air amount or a throttle opening as in the conventional control devices is often inappropriate: the switching is not always executed at a power level to be executed in the reduced cylinder mode.
• the judgment of the switching of an operation mode can be done when an actually generated output power level reaches to the level to be executed in the reduced cylinder mode or the normal mode (around the maximum level available in the reduced cylinder mode), thereby ensuring the generation of torque/power requested in operating an engine while saving fuel.
• the switching of an operation mode into the reduced cylinder mode will be done without unexpected lack of torque/power while saving fuel as much as possible, irrespective of the variation of the conditional and/or environmental parameters of the engine.
• a target value of torque or power to be generated is determined with an input device, e.g. an accelerator pedal of a driver
• the direct monitoring of the output torque solely from the engine makes it easy to adjust the total output power (from the engine plus dynamotors) to the target level.
• a dynamotor e.g.
• a dynamotor may be useful as the detector detecting engine output torque.
• the torque detector will be the electric generator.
• the engine output torque can be detected precisely from reaction torque on the generator during driving the wheels.
• an abrupt variation or a surge in torque is generated due to the variation of the mass of motion of an engine accompanied by the transient variation of engine revolution.
• the output torque may be modified for following its target value, e.g. by operating the electric motor or generator.
• the direct monitoring of the actual output torque makes the torque modification much easier.
• the output performance of an engine varies with difference within tolerance in manufacturing an engine, abrasion in parts due to use of an engine, etc.
• individual engines have different maximum power available per cylinder, supplied with a certain fuel amount at wide opened throttle, and thus different ideal conditions for the switching of an operation mode.
• the maximum power available per cylinder in each engine also varies with environmental conditions, e.g. on a highland.
• the judgment criteria in determining an operation mode may be modified appropriately for individual engines through a learning process.
• output torque at a certain engine revolution and at a predetermined upper limit of throttle angle is, preferably automatically, set to the upper limit of engine output torque at the certain engine revolution in the reduced cylinder mode.
• the judgment of the operation mode based upon actually outputted torque from the engine may be performed by using a two-dimensional map of engine revolution and engine torque, which map is divided into full cylinder operation (normal operation) region and reduced cylinder operation region. An operation mode to be executed may be judged according to which region a current engine operating condition defined with torque and revolution is fallen into.
• the map for determining the operation mode may be modified appropriately in conjunction with the environmental conditions of the engine.
• the map may be modified through a learning process as described above.
• Fig. 1 is a diagram of a hybrid driving system for a vehicle incorporating a multi-cylinder engine and a control device for cylinder reducing operation of one embodiment according to the present invention.
• Fig. 2 shows a map of engine output torque Te and revolution Ne, defining a normal (full cylinder) operation region and a reduced cylinder operation region according to the present invention.
• Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing cylinder reducing operation control routine executed in the preferred embodiment in the vehicles in Fig. 1 according to the present invention;
• Fig. 4 shows diagrams of time variations of throttle valve opening and engine output torque during the switching from the normal mode to the reduced cylinder mode (A) and from the reduced cylinder mode to the normal mode (B).
• Fig. 1 shows a diagram of a hybrid driving system for a vehicle, having a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine 10 and dynamotors 16 and 18, cooperating to generate power appropriately determined under the control of Electronic Control Unit (ECU) 38.
• a control device for cylinder reducing operation of a preferred embodiment according to the present invention is implemented in Electronic Control Unit (ECU) 38 by mstalling appropriate software.
• ECU Electronic Control Unit
• an output shaft (crank shaft) 12 of the engine 10 is linked to one of three rotational elements of a planetary gear 14, and the other two rotational elements of the planetary gear each are linked to an electric generator (dynamotor G) 16 and an electrical motor (dynamotor M) 18, respectively.
• ECU38 which may incorporate a computer which may be of an ordinary type including a central processor unit, a read only memory, a random access memory, input and output port means and a common bus interconnecting these elements, electronically controls the operation of the engine 10, generator 16, motor 18 and inverter 34 in accordance with software.
• ECU 38 typically receiving signals indicating engine operating conditions and external (environmental) conditions of the engine and vehicle from appropriate sensors, determines a target value of torque/power to be generated in the driving system and operates portions to be controlled in the system such as a throttle valve, in order to bring actual torque/power into conformity with the target value.
• the number of working cylinders is controlled by rendering a half number of the cylinders inactive selectively in the manner as described below.
• ECU 38 first judges an operation mode of the engine with a two-dimensional map of engine output torque Te and engine revolution Ne, as shown in Fig. 2, stored elsewhere in ECU.
• the output torque from the engine used for the judgment of the operation mode of the engine, may be obtained from a signal indicating reaction force or torque in the generator 16 against the engine torque during driving the wheels.
• the map includes a region of a normal operation mode and a region of a reduced cylinder operation mode.
• the reduced cylinder operation region should be set out such that the reduced cylinder operation is to be executed as long as the generation of the target torque or power is accomplished by the reduced number of working cylinders. This is because energy efficiency of an engine is high when the load per cylinder is high as described above.
• the upper limit of torque in the reduced cylinder region will be set to a substantial maximum torque available solely with working cylinders in the reduced cylinder mode (a half number of cylinders in the engine).
• a neutral zone where no switching of the operation mode is executed is provided for avoiding control hunting upon the mode switching.
• the map of torque vs. revolution as shown in Fig. 2 may be appropriately modified.
• One of the ways of the map modification is through a learning process, which will be described below in more detail.
• step SI the signals, required for the following process from sensors provided elsewhere in the driving system, including the signal of engine revolution Ne and the signal of reaction torque in the generator 16, i.e. torque apphed from the engine 10 onto the rotational element in the planetary gear 14 linked to the generator 16, are read in.
• step S2 actual output torque Te solely from the engine 10 is determined based upon the torque signal from the generator.
• steps S3-S9 compensation of transient variation of torque after the switching of the operation mode is executed. The detailed explanation of these steps will be described later.
• steps S10 -S19 by using the map of actual output torque Te vs. engine revolution Ne in Fig. 2, the operation mode is judged to either of the normal operation and reduced cylinder operation modes.
• step S10 it is judged if a condition defined with Te and Ne is fallen into the normal operation region. If so, it is judged if the engine is operated in the normal mode (step Sll). If so, the normal mode is maintained (S14). If the engine is operated in the reduced cylinder mode, the operation mode is switched into the normal mode (step S12) and a first timer of transient term tq, which will be used in the torque compensation in steps S3-S9 in the subsequent cycles, is set to its initial value tqO. If a condition of Te and Ne is fallen into in the reduced cylinder region, the process goes through steps S15 and, in step S16, it is judged if the engine is operated in the reduced cylinder mode.
• step S19 the reduced cylinder operation is maintained (S19). If, however, the normal operation is executed, the mode is switched into the reduced cylinder mode in step S17 and a second timer of transient term tp is set to its initial value tpO. If the condition is fallen into the hysterisis zone, the process reaches to step S20 via step S15, and it is judged if the engine is operated in the normal mode. If so, the normal operation is maintained (step S14), and otherwise, the reduced cylinder operation is maintained (step S19). Accordingly, when a current condition is within the hysterisis zone, no switching of the operation mode is executed, and thus control hunting upon the switching is prevented.
• the transient torque compensation routine is executed after the switching of the operation mode.
• the engine operation is switched from the normal into the reduced cylinder mode (at tl) in response to the reduction of the output torque (demanded by ECU 38 through the closure of throttle opening)
• the output torque from the engine is excessively reduced as indicated in the bold fine in the lower graph in Fig. 4(A) because of the reduction of the number of working cylinders. This is because, although the throttle opening of the engine is increased in response to the mode switching as shown in the upper graph in Fig.
• the excessively increased torque or transient surplus torque is absorbed with the generator 16 and thereby the output torque from the driving system varies smoothly before and after the mode switching as indicated by a thin fine in Fig. 4(B).
• the first and second timers tq, tp each value of which is reduced to zero during cycling the routine, are employed for judging if the state of the engine is in a transient phase after the mode switching.
• the first or second timer tq, tp is set to tqO or tpO, respectively, as described above (At the staring of the control, the first and second timers tq, tp is set to 0.).
• the amounts of tqO and tpO may be appropriately determined based upon engine parameters. Then, when the process returns to START, it is judged if tp or tq is larger than 0 in steps S3 or S4. If tp >0(in step S3), indicating that the engine is in the transient phase after the switching from the normal mode into the reduced cylinder mode, the second timer tp is decremented by ⁇ tp, a small amount corresponding to one cycle time of the routine, in step S6. Then, the shortage of driving torque outputted from the system is compensated by adding the amount calculated with fp(tp), a function of elapsed time (the timer value), to the output torque, as indicated by thin solid fine in Fig.
• step S7 The compensation for the output torque shortage is repeated during the subsequent cycles until the counter tp reaches to zero.
• step S4 indicating that the engine is in the transient phase after the switching from the reduced cylinder mode into the normal mode
• the first counter tq is decremented by ⁇ tq, a small amount corresponding to one cycle time of the routine, in step S8.
• the surplus in torque is compensated by absorbing the amount calculated with -fq (tq) from the output torque as indicated by thin solid line in Fig. 4 (B) in step S9.
• the compensation for the output torque surplus is repeated during the subsequent cycles until the counter tq reaches to zero.
• step S5 When both tp and tp is not larger than 0, these values are set to 0 in step S5.
• the upper limit of torque or power available in the reduced cyhnder operation can vary with internal and environmental conditions and the use of the engine.
• the upper Hmit of the reduced cylinder operation region in the map is modified automatically through a learning process.
• the routine for modifying the map may be incorporated in the routine of Fig. 3. Referring to steps S21-S24, the learning modification of the map is executed when the engine is operated in the reduced cyhnder mode. After step S19, it is judged in step S21 if tp is still larger than 0.
• step S22 it is judged in step S22 whether or not the current throttle opening or angle ⁇ is equal to or exceeds a predetermined maximum allowable value ⁇ ma (Ne) at the current revolution. If the throttle opening reaches to the maximum allowable level, no further torque can be gained in the reduced cylinder operation. In other words, the output torque from the engine at the substantial full throttle opening is considered to be the upper Hmit of the reduced cylinder operation.
• the current torque is set to the upper limit of the reduced cylinder operation region.
• the maximum allowable throttle opening is dependent upon engine revolution so that ⁇ ma is determined as a function of engine revolution.
• the current torque Te is stored as the upper limit of the reduced cyhnder operation region at the current revolution, Temax(Ne) in step S23, and in step S24, the upper boundary of the reduced cylinder operation region is modified such that the boundary line passes through the point of Temax (Ne) newly stored in step S23.
• the lower boundary of the normal operation region is modified for keeping the width of hysteresis zone enough to avoid control hunting. Accordingly, the criteria of the judgment of an operation mode are adapted for the current output performance of the engine. If ⁇ > ⁇ ma is not detected in step S22, the process returns to START without the map modification.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Output Control And Ontrol Of Special Type Engine (AREA)
• Control Of Vehicle Engines Or Engines For Specific Uses (AREA)
• Hybrid Electric Vehicles (AREA)
• Combined Controls Of Internal Combustion Engines (AREA)
• Electric Propulsion And Braking For Vehicles (AREA)

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• 2003
  • 2003-11-07 JP JP2003378036A patent/JP3915771B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2004
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  • 2004-11-05 EP EP04799644A patent/EP1689993B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2004-11-05 WO PCT/JP2004/016793 patent/WO2005045217A1/en active Search and Examination
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